Tool



y 1929- I E. P. TouRNn-zl tr AL I 1,720,773

TOOL

Filed April 17, 1925 Arry Patented July 16, 1929 UNITED STATES EDWARDPAUL TOURNIER. OF CHICAGO,

PATENT OFFICE.

AND JOHN FREDERICK WULFF, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO WESTERNELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK.

TOOL.

Application filed April 17, 1925. Serial No. 23,859.

This invention relates to tools, and more particularly to a tool forhandling U-shaped elements and has for its primary object the provisionof a simple and inexpensive tool for readily and efficiently attachingand detaching different sizes of U-shaped clips or clamping members ofthe type disclosed and claimed in co-pcnding application of G. J. Houts,Serial No. 745,093, filed October 22, 1924.

In accordance with the general features of this invention there isprovided in one embodiment thereof a handle supporting a grooved member,adjustable therein for accommodating clips of different sizes, andcarrying atone end thereof means for engaging the clip and co-operatingwith a resilient member mounted in a grooved post extending from thehandle to latchably retain the clip in the grooves.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appearfrom the following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment thereof, and inwhich Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hand tool embodying the featuresof the invention showing one manner in which it is used fastening alayer of telephone switchboard cables to another layer of cables securedupon a horizontal cable rack;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation thereof showin a clamping memberlatched thereto, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3thereof.

The invention as herein illustrated and described is particularlyapplicable for use in handling and attaching or detaching the clampingmembers or clips of the type disclosed in the hereinbefore referred toco-pending application for fastening telephone switchboard cables toeach other and to supporting framework but it is to be understood thatthe novel features of the invention are cagable of other applications.

eferring to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate likeparts throughout the several views, 10 indicates a hand grip or handleprovided with an integral depending portion 11 and slidably mounted uponguideways or rails 12 formed thereon (Figs. 2 and 3), is a clip or clampengaging member 13 in the form of a bar provided upon opposite sidefaces with grooves 14, within which are entered the rails 12.- Integralwith the right hand end of the portion 11 of the handle and offset from,and extending below, the lower surface thereof is a post 15 providedwith a vertically extending groove 16 (Fig. 2) in its left hand end facewhich groove is in the same vertical plane with a horizontally extendinggroove 17 formed in the lower surface of the bar 13 (Fig. As clearlyshown in dotted outline 05 in Fig. 2 the groove 17 is cut deeper at bothends than in the intermediate portion, as indicated at 18 and 19, thepurpose of Which will be set forth hereinafter. At its left hand end,one face of the bar 13 is cut back as indicated at 20 and projectingfrom a rear wall 23 thereof is a pin 24 adapted to engage within alooped portion 25 at either end of a clamping member or clip 26, theoppositeloop 25 resting in the portion 19 of the groove 17 and the upperportion of the groove 16. A more detailed description of the clip 26 maybe had by referring to thehereinbefore mentioned application. Mounted inan opening 28 formed in the post 14 below the bar 13 and centered withrespect to the groove 15 is a ball 29 which is resiliently held with aportion thereof extending into the groove 15, by a compression spring 30engaged at its opposite end by a screw 31 threaded into the opening 28.In entering the loop 25 in the grooves 15 and 17, the loop is pressedagainst the ball 29 which moves inwardly, and then outwardly to theposition shown in Fig. 2 thereby latching and securing the clip 26 tothe bar 13, the opposite g0 loop having been mounted upon the pin 24 ashereinbefore described. The bar 13 is slidably mounted for adjustmentupon the handle 10 for varying the distance between the pin 24 and theball 29 so that clips of different lengths may be handled by the tool.Upon adjustment of the bar 13 for a certain length clip the bar 13 isretained in its set position upon the rails 12 by a set screw 32 (Figs.2 and threaded into the post 14. The operation of the tool is asfollows: Referring to Fig. 1 wherein a telephone switchboard cableassembly of a type more fully described in the hereinbefore mentionedpatent application is shown, 34 indicates a 5 plurality of cablesclamped to a supporting bar 35 by a clamping member or clip 36 havingbent or hooked portions 37 at its opposite application. Upon fasteningthe cables of the first layer to the cross straps a second layer ofcables 38 is positioned thereon in the.

following manner. The operator upon latching a clip 26 in the toolashereinbefore de scribed grasps the handle 10 thereof as shown in Fig. 1and engages a hooked portion moven'ient sideways. ang about the engagedportions in a clock- 7 at the left hand end of 'theclip 26 with aloopectportion dlof the clamping member36 aselearly shown in Fig. 1.plis'hed by tilting the tool first downwardly This is accomat the lefthand end and ivin it a sli ht c a a: Thereafter, by pivotwise directionthe opposite hooked portion 40 ofthe clip-26 may be engaged, in asimilar manner, with the'other looped portion 41 of the =clamping member86. last mentioned hookand looped portions a resilient portion 42interconnecting the hooked'portions 40 is'fiexed and the enclosed Inengaging the cables are-thereby-slightly compressed. The deeper portion1 9 of the groove 17 is for the purpose of -permitting the'loop portionof the clip -26 to lie in the same plane as the opposite loop portionwhich is engaged with the pin 24. The handle may then be raised untilthe ball'29 passes'the associated loop whereupon the 'pin'24 may beremoved from the other "loop portion. In detaching a clip from itsclamping position, as just described the ope'ratormerely engages thetool with the clip tobe detached in a manner similar to that "oflatching a'clip to the tool preparatory to attaching a clip in aclamping position as hereinbefore described and then depresses the =end0f the clip associated with the ball 29 V pressing down upon-the handle'10 and or disposed 'in'a vertical formation. ther1nore, in some casesitmay be advantageous especially where the cables are suspended, toassemble them within the clip reupon observing that the associated loopand hook portions of the attached clips are in position to be released,giving the tool a slight 'movement sideways to cause a completedisengagement thereof whereupon the opposite associated loop and hookportions maybe freely disengaged. It is also evident that the tool mayhe used with equal facility if the cables'are suspended from asupporting; bar

n urtained inthe' tool, before the clip is attached to asupporting'bair'or a previous y positioned clip. It is obvious from theforegoing description of the use of the tool in handling and attachingor detaching the clip 26 that "seen that the tool described is ofcomparatively simple formation in its construction and ithearrangementof its parts and that it can be operated with very little skill on thepart of an operator. It will be clearly understood that the tool can beused for different types of clamping members for different purposesalthough particularly devised and illustrated in the drawings for usewith the clamping member of the type disclosed inthe hereinbeforementioned application.

VJ hat is claimed is:

1. A tool comprising a handle, and means carried thereby for latchablyengaging a U- shaped element said means comprising oppositely disposedfixed and resiliently actuated means for engaging the side'portions ofthe element.

2. A tool comprising a handle having guideway's therein, a memberadapted to slide upon said gui leways for adjusting the tool fordifl'erentsizcd elements, said member adapted to support an element atone 'endthercof, and means carried by'thehandlefor resilientlysupporting the opposite end of the element.

3. A toolcomprisinga liandlaineans car -ried thereby for entering withina U-shaped element and resiliently actuated means for latchably engagmgthe exterior of the element to thereby retainthe element associated withthe handle.

t. A tool comprising a handle, and means carried'thereby'for latchablyengaging a U- shapcd'element, said handle and means provided withco-operating grooved faces disposed at an-angle to each other forguiding the elementinto and fromalatched position.

5. A tool comprising a handle, and means carried thereby forlatchaibly-engaginga U- shaped element, said-means comprising a pincarried by the handle and extending laterally atoneend thereofforentering within the 'element and-a (Bo-operating spring pressed ballmounted substantially opposite thereto I ina grooved-face of thehandlefor engaging a side portionf'o'f the elementto retain'the elementassociatedwith the handle.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this 13th day ofJune-A. D. 1925 EDWARD PAUL rromnunn. -'JOHN FREDERICK worn-r.

